Assistant Director: Global Business Solution Delivery

Mayer Brown LLP•Chicago, IL

1d•$192,000 - $338,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Mayer Brown is an international law firm that represents major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in complex transactions and disputes. They are known for being strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to delivering excellence. The firm fosters a collegial and collaborative environment where motivated individuals can grow and thrive. This role is within the Knowledge Management department in the Chicago office. The Assistant Director will support the Sr. Global Director of Enterprise Systems and Business Solutions Delivery. This position oversees Managers responsible for Risk, Marketing, and Admin Systems, Mobile Apps, and Quality Assurance teams, focusing on software development for legal business applications and integrations. The role involves overseeing application development strategy and execution, including in-house, commercial, and cloud-based solutions. It is accountable for project completion from analysis, design, development, testing, deployment, and operations, utilizing Agile and DevOps principles. The Assistant Director will ensure compliance with Firm requirements and policies, collaborating with other IT leadership. This role is principally responsible for establishing and ensuring operational excellence, acting as a consultant, change manager, business analyst, project manager, and troubleshooter with people management skills. The individual will develop and manage a global team aligned with the Firm's strategic and operational needs, collaborating closely with legal and business professionals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Sciences, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered in lieu of the degree when the experience has been directly related to the functions of the job
PMP certification preferred
Cloud-focused certification a plus
Ability to identify and reduce technical debt, single points of failure, and security vulnerabilities, increase platform stabilization, and streamline the application portfolio
Manage external vendors and act as a functional bridge between them and key internal stakeholders
Multi-team Change Management experience with eye to potential technical collisions and overlapping priorities, ability to build consensus and drive value
Strong experience working with stakeholders on a global basis
Strong experience managing projects with high business risk and substantial budgetary impact
10+ years in management in the technology industry; 5 years law firm experience preferred
Ten or more years’ experience leading, developing, and supporting a team of software development professionals
Five or more years managing high volume, resource intensive back-office and administrative support systems, preferably including IntApp Terms/Intake/Conflicts, Litera: Foundation, LegalIRM: iCompli, & ServiceNow.
Demonstrated ability to lead high-level projects and deliver measurable results within prescribed timelines
Experience managing teams and projects with significant budgetary and resource components
Knowledge of Agile and DevOps concepts, and and Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies; exhibits a commitment to continual improvement
Conscientious budget manager and steward of firm's resources
Proficiency across Microsoft M365 collaboration & productivity tools
Expertise with software architecture and development
Experience with workflow, middleware/data integration and reporting tools (e.g. IntApp Integrate & Boomi, Biztalk, Microsoft Power Platform)
Knowledgeable about the total cost of ownership and supportability of on-premise versus cloud systems
Experience in delivering enterprise software applications using common web-compliant technologies
Proficiency with Generative AI tools (Harvey, Claude, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT) to accelerate code development, query writing, and technical problem-solving
Experience creating and maintaining high-quality leadership presentations using such tools as PowerPoint to convey vision, strategic priorities, and delivery roadmaps to executive audiences
Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors
Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm
Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines with shifting priorities
Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative
Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects
Expert project planning and management practices (including but not limited to complex scheduling, risk / issue / change management, resource planning, status reporting, and budget management)
Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
Demonstrated leadership, management and supervisory experience
Operational budget analysis and recommendations
Process and service-oriented with strong leadership and project management skills

Nice To Haves

PMP certification
Cloud-focused certification

Responsibilities

Remains up-to-date regarding the potential of Microsoft products, and other related products in Mayer Brown's technology ecosystem, particularly as it pertains to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Reviews and implements appropriate use cases from inside and outside the Firm, paying particular attention to the way different tools may interact in addressing a business need
Supports Firm cloud / work-from-anywhere initiatives, with a focus on security, availability and user experience
Advises on the relevant roadmaps, strategy development and execution plans
Works with peers within the Firm to shape policy around use of relevant technologies
Ensures the planning, organization and execution of projects in the relevant portions of the global project portfolio and associated technologies and services
Positions the Firm’s relevant systems to leverage and integrate with AI and Enterprise Search technologies
Establishes effective working relationships with the evolving network of strategic influencers through the Firm, seeking counsel, and offering guidance in the adoption of technology
Ensures the team works with Subject Matter Experts and vendors to determine best practices and scalable methods to improve the use and experience of technology within the Firm
Ensures evaluation of new products/applications deemed to be appropriate to the Firm’s business
Develops written and oral communications that clearly explain technical concepts using non-technical language and collaborates with the Learning and Development teams to provide the Firm with the expertise they need to be successful with deployed systems
Ensures the high availability of relevant services (including vendor hosted systems), including the development, maintenance and communication of relevant Applications IT Strategy & Roadmap
Ensures the delivery of processes and controls to ensure the security of confidential data across all regions
Oversees the establishment and management of the Work Intake process, including development & enhancement requests and corresponding backlogs across the various applications supporting the services aligned to this role
Actively works to ensure availability of key services
Takes ownership of all aspects of the relevant portions of the application portfolio, including: maintenance and support activities, enhancements to existing functionality and development and/or implementation of new modules, representation at Business Continuity and Security audits
Actively participates in the escalation path for on-call support as necessary, including coordination of crisis management activities as required during an incident
Manages relevant budgets
Align workings hours as necessary to support global teams and business partners
Performs other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives
Manages processes for direct reports in regards to performance appraisals, annual compensation, goal setting and performance counselling
Develops and delivers annual performance reviews in a timely manner, including regular updates to objectives and job descriptions
Conducts analysis of staffing levels and participation in the recruitment process
Able to determine and implement change processes to improve workflow efficiencies
Able to set priorities and delegate in an efficient manner